Rowing machine



Feb. 19, 1952 111 GLASGOW 2,586,924

ROWING MACHINE Filed Feb. 15, 1949 Patented Feb. 19, 1 952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ROWING MACHINE Frank T. Glasgow, Lexington, Va.

Application February 15, 1949, Serial No. 76,447 1 Claim. (Cl. 272-72) This invention relates to a rowing machine and particularly to a device that can be used to train sculling crews.

Heretofore devices have been known which are commonly called rowing machines and which are usually used in gymnasiums, primarily as exercising devices. Although these devices incorporate certain features which simulate to a very limited degree the movements necessary in rowing a boat or shell, they in no sense of the word, simulate actual rowing conditions which are necessary to accustom the athlete to the feel of the actual device and to indoctrinate and discipline the athlete's muscles to the rythmical movements necessary to the development of coordinated sculling teams.

At present sculling competition is primarily limited to large colleges and universities which have available to them a body of water surficiently large to facilitate training. The smaller colleges and universities or those not located near large bodies of water are therefore practically excluded from sculling competition.

The primary purpose of the present invention is to provide an apparatus which can be placed in the ordinary swimming pool, which even most of the smallest colleges and universities have available, to be used in teaching the fundamentals of competitive rowing or sculling. The apparatus is designed so as to simulate as nearly as possible, the atmosphere and environment of actual rowing.

Accordingly, the primary object of the present invention is to provide an improved apparatus which can be used on a small body of water for simulating actual rowing conditions.

Another object is to provide an apparatus of the type mentioned which is particularly adapted for use in an ordinary swimming pool, the use of which will present all the conditions of actual rowing or sculling.

Other and further objects will become readily apparent from the following description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure l is a perspective view of rowing apparatus made in accordance with the present invention shown as it would be attached to the side of a swimming pool;

Figure 2 is a plan view of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a sectional elevation on line 3--3 of Figure 2; and

Figure 4 is an enlarged partial sectional elevation on line 4--4 of Figure 2.

invention shown in the drawings, the rowing ap-- various means by which the rowing apparatusmay be held in place, in the specific embodiment shown, a suitable wire cable 3, preferably including a turnbuckle, is suitably connected to the op-.

posite ends of one side of the frame I, the cable being adpated to extend around a post or column 4 alongside the swimming pool. The frame I is adapted to be supported on the upper edge of the usual splash gutter G surrounding the swimming pool. To supplement the cable 3, suitable braces l are hingedly connected to opposite ends of the bottom of the frame I, the lower ends of the braces I engaging the side of the swimming pool and suitable flexible cables or ropes 8 being attached between the bottom of the frame I and an intermediate point on each of the braces 1 to stiffen the construction. A suitable turnbuckle may be provided in the cable 8.

As is clearly shown in the drawings, the frame I is provided with a plurality of cross slats I0 on which is mounted suitable parallel guides or tracks I2. A seat I4 is provided with suitable wheels or rollers I6 which are adapted to engage the tracks I2 so that the seat I4 can be freely and easily moved to and fro longitudinally of the frame I while the trainee is operating the oar I 1. In order to adapt the rowing apparatus to trainees of difierent heights, adjustable means are provided for supporting the trainees feet. To this end, two foot-rests 2| are supported at one end of the frame I. The foot-rests are in the shapes of conventional shoe soles and are provided with suitable loops 21a to prevent the trainees feet from slipping off the foot-rests. The lower ends of the foot-rests 2| are supported on a lower cross member 23 while the upper ends of the foot-rests are supported on a cross bar 24. It will be noted that the toe portion of the footrests are substantially in the same horizontal plane with the seat 14, while the heel portions thereof are below the bottom of the frame. The cross member 23 is mounted for longitudinal movement on a track or guide 26 which is suspended below the frame I by vertical members 21, 28. The underside of the cross member 23 is provided with spaced L-shaped brackets 2341 which engage the track 26 to prevent relative lateral movement. The cross bar 24 may be fixed in adjusted positions by means of suitable pegs or bolts 3| which extend through holes in Referring to the specific embodiment of the the cross bar 24 and engage a series of holes 32 in metal straps 33 secured to elements of the frame I. It will be readily apparent that the individual trainees will adjust the foot-rests 2| to position their bodies with respect to the fulcrum point of the oar I I to best suit their individual style of stroke to the end of producing the most efiicient stroking movement.

The fulcrum point for the oar I1 is provided by a suitable car look 40 which is pivotally supported on the outer end of a laterally extending outrigger' ll comprising braces 42 and 43, the innor ends of which are secured to the side of frame I and the outer ends of which are securely joined to form a rigid support for the car look. The car lock is of conventional construction and the car is provided with a suitable collar 11a in the conventional manner to limit the movement of the oar away from the frame I. One of the important features of the invention is the construction of the oar I! so that when it is used in a body of still1water,,actual rowing conditionswill be:

simulated as-nearly as-possible. The blade portion ll of .the car is provided with a plurality of holes, llb' which are adapted to permit the flow of water therethrough and create turbulence of thewater to'such an extent as to create the necessary' resistance to movement of the oar while at thesame time producing the necessary feel on'theoar handle Ho.

Inactualerowin there is, of course, relative movement-between the shell, cars, and the water. With thepresent invention, since there is no relative-movement between the shell or boat and the. .water, the holes 11b. in the oar blade compensatefor lack of relativemovement between the shell and, water. andcat the. same time provide simulatedrowing conditions.

The foregoing illus'trationrof the invention is shown as applied to a swimming pool having the conventionalsplash gutter but it will be readily apparent toth-ose skilled, in the art that the invention may be supported adjacent the side wall of-a swimming pool which has no splash gutter. For example, if desired, suita ble supports could be provided for supporting th frame on the bottomof ,theswimming pool. Also if desired, the side of the frame adjacent the side wall of the swimming pool could be supported by metal brackets or metal straps anchored to the Side Wall of the pooland/or to the ledgesurro-unding the swimming pool.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that the present invention provides a simple, inexpensive apparatus which can be used in a small body of water, such asthat of a swimming pool, for training athletes in the fundamentals of sculling or rowing. By the use of the present invention actual sculling or rowing conditions are simulated as nearly as possible, thereby making it possible for small colleges or universities having only limited assets and without having access to suitable large bodies of water, to train sculling crews for interschool competition.

Although the invention has been described in considerable detail, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that many variations are possible without departing from the inventive concept. It is therefore desired that the invention not be limited except insofar as is made necessary by the prior art and by the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

A device for training athletes in the rudiments of the art of sculling, comprising a frame having a rowing seat and foot-rest means therein, and having. means extending laterally from said frame to provide a rigid fulcrum point for a sculling oar, said frame adapted to be secured in a fixed position relative to the sidewall of a swimming pool with one side of said frame resting upon the upper edge of the usual splash gutter of the swimming pool and with said side of the frame in intimate abutting relation with said side wall, tension means on said frame. adapted to be intercoupled with .an adjacent portion of. the swimming poolfor sustainingsaid frame adjacent the side wall of the swimming, pool in outstanding non-waterborne relation thereto overlying the surface of the water, braces.

hinged to the opposite ends of said frame adjacent theouter side thereof, the lower ends of said braces adapted to engage the side wall of Jsaidv swimming pool, and tension members betweenpoints intermediate each of said braces and said frame.

' FRANK T. GLASGOW.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 7 Number Name Date 230,314 lVIcManus July 20', 1880 323,292 Briggs Ju1y'28; 1885. 927,833 Cunningham July 13, 1909.-

1,786,451 Ribard Dec. 3.0, 1930, 1,950,896 Luzzi Mar. 13, 1934 FOREIGN PATENTS" Number Country Date 468,999 Germany Nov, 28,1928 559,997 Germany Sept. 27, 1932 

